Description
(syn. Ipheion gracile, Brodiaea phillipiana, Triteleia gracilis)
First found by Poeppig in 1833, it was not botanically named until 40 years later when it was described as a new species Triteleia gracilis by Philippi. In 1896 Baker decided it was not a Triteleia but a Brodiaea and he changed the name and described it as Brodiaea philippiana. It stayed as a Brodiaea until Traub moved it to Ipheion in 1953, calling it Ipheion gracile. Ten years later, the same author changed his mind and decided it was now to be called Tristagma gracile. It has been a Tristagma for the longest time it has stayed in one genus.
Notwithstanding me poking fun, the classification of exactly which genus many of these species fall into has been long confused, historically. The important thing for gardeners to note is that Tristagma gracile is NOT in any way a synonym of the weedy, to-be-avoided, yellow-flowered, Nothoscordum gracile!
This is instead another excellent species from those parts of Chile with a Mediterranean-type climate. It is virtually unknown in cultivation (or on the internet). The flowers are borne on stems no more than about 15cm high, depending on the light levels and each stem bears 1-5 flowers with overlapping petals of a thick texture. The face of each has a thin, central stripe of emerald green, toning to a slightly brown purple shade in the throat. The anthers are squat and lime green, topped with little tassels of yellow pollen. On the reverse the central petal stripe is broader, especially on the set of three outer petals. The green stripe become broader and heavily stained with red-brown at the base. On the inner set however, the stripe is more slender, red-brown and it tends to green at the base. It is a fascinating little plant, all the more so as the very edge of the outer segments, has a little squiggle of bright red, either side of the central stripe, set down right at the base. Flowering here begins in the last few days of January and lasts for months. Even when hidden the delightful, sweet, light perfume can be appreciated across the entire alpine-house where we keep it and it is so valuable for this fabulous scent.
The astute amongst you may see a passing similarity to Tristagma bivalve however in a splendid 2016 review of the species Silvia C. Arroyo-Leuenberger and Agostina B. Sassone pointed out that it is distinguished from T. bivalve by the presence of obtuse tepal apices, the shape of the flower, the short tepal tube and its allopatric distribution.
Our bulbs originated as a small collection, made some years back in the Valparaíso Region, by a good friend and botanical colleague of many years. The original plants were from west of Santiago de Chile and came from costal dunes and rocks in the region of Algarrobo, where it grows, more or less, at sea level. These are vegetative propagations of the original bulbs. As they are raised from just a few specimens they are remarkably consistent across the stock, however different plants in the stock are clearly cross-fertile and the plant sets reasonable seed. None of the plants offered yet have been raised from seed, increase has only been by vegetative means.
Humus-rich soil, but with good drainage. Full sun and water tolerant though we prefer to keep it in an alpine house pot. The ease of growth, early-flowering and its gorgeous, sweet scent makes this a personal favourite. It does like feeding to maintain the size of its offsets, without this, they remain smaller though the mother bulbs carry on flowering regardless.
First listed March 2020.
